Posted on: Fri 21-05-2021

Report of a one-day sensitization workshop to kick-start the implementation of the Pharmacist Consultant Cadre within the Healthcare system in Nigeria, organized by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) in collaboration with West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (Nigeria Chapter).

Date:            Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Venue:        Banquet Hall NAF Conference 

                     Centre and Suites,

                   Ahmadu Bello Way,

                   Kado – Abuja.

The workshop commenced with an opening prayer through reading the second stanza of the National anthem, at about 11:00am.  This was followed by introduction of dignitaries and invited guests, after which a keynote address was delivered by the former secretary – General of WAPCP Prof. N.N. Wannang on “Consultant Pharmacists: Changing the landscape of the Health Sector”.

The workshop was declared open by the Senior Technical Aid to the Permanent Secretary of FMoH, Dr. Abubakar Adamu Ismail who ably represented the  Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehinare MD, FWACS, after taking goodwill messages from AMLSN President, Registrar  of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and representative of the President of PSN.

The workshop had two plenary sessions that discussed extensively on topics related to the implementation of the consultancy cadre in pharmacy profession.  Professor A. T. Mora, the current Chairman of PCN delivered a lecture on “Effective Implementation of Pharmacist Consultant Cadre for Improved Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria” during the first plenary session while Pharm. (Mrs) Bisi Bright, former Secretary- General of WAPCP, delivered the second lecture (virtually) on “Integration of the Services of Consultant Pharmacists with Members of the Healthcare Professions in Public Health Institutions in Nigeria”.

Each of these lectures was supported by four capable discussants who contributed immensely in shedding more lights to the issues at stake. The lectures also elicited a lot of questions and contributions from the participants, and adequate responses were given to the questions by the lecturers.

The most frequent issue that featured in the discussion/contribution session is the interpretation of the circular that came from office of the Head of Service of the Federation and the format of implementation.  It was unanimously agreed that there is no ambiguity in the said circular, and that the interpretation and format of implementation should be in consonance with that of UCH Ibadan.  That is, an Assistant Director/Consultant Pharmacist is placed on CONHESS 13, Deputy Director/Consultant Pharmacist Special Grade II is placed on CONHES 14 and Director/Consultant Pharmacist Special Grade I is placed on CONHESS 15.

A communiqué was issued at the end of the workshop which re-emphasized among other things the above – mentioned format and interpretation as the irreducible minimum charter for the implementation of the new pharmacist consultant cadre in the various health institutions.  As part of the communiqué, consultant pharmacists were called upon to prove their worth and the confidence reposed on them, as the new cadre marks a new order in healthcare delivery in Nigeria. 

It was also announced that this type of workshop would be conducted in Lagos, Enugu and Kaduna in subsequent times.

Dr. Sabiu Adamu FPCPharm,

Director of Pharmaceutical Services,

Federal Medical Centre,

Keffi.

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